You reach where others can’t: bringing relief around the world

Democratic Republic of Congo: feeding families

Violent fighting around Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in D R Congo, has continued to have devastating consequences , in a country already suffering from an immense humanitarian crisis.

Marie, a 38-year-old mother of four, described sleeping outdoors when her family’s temporary shelter was destroyed by war. Thanks to a £15,000 grant made possible by you, Marie and hundreds of others received maize, beans, oil and dignity kits filled with hygiene projects. “My children ate only by the grace of God. Thanks to this project, we received food. I am relieved to finally be able to feed my children for about a month. This gives us hope in these difficult times,” Marie testifies. Thank you for providing practical love in action when it was needed most, in a country with a long and precious association with BMS.

Ukraine: aid on the frontline

In Ukraine, a grant of £65,000 is empowering 2,272 Baptist churches to do what they do best: serve out Christ’s gospel in practical action, even in the midst of war. The Ukrainian Union of Evangelical Christian Baptist Churches is the largest Protestant community in Ukraine, and you’re helping its 113,000 members receive the support they need to keep going – especially as many of them are uniquely placed to help others living on the frontlines. Church volunteers distributed life-saving food and hygiene kits in Sumy, Kharkiv and Kerson, and plan to evacuate over 1,000 of the most vulnerable civilians, installing drone-protection kits on vehicles to ensure the safety of those risking their lives to help others. Your kindness has helped 6,400 survivors of war so far this year, and reminded Baptists in Ukraine of just what is possible when God’s Church comes together.


Bardaï, Chad: restoring a community
Floodwaters in Bardaï, a remote town in northern Chad, destroyed the only evangelical church in the area. With money from the disaster recovery fund, BMS was able to respond quickly, granting £5,000 for construction costs to help the congregation rebuild.

Under the guidance of Pastor Isaaka and with help from church members, the new building is taking shape. Mission workers Andrea and Mark Hotchkin write: “The church [family] will also be contributing: the church members through their offerings and also their labour… the masons and carpenters required are church members and others can do simple labouring tasks.” What a beautiful way to combine BMS funds with local expertise in a true show of community – community you are part of as members of God’s global Church.

Afghanistan: returning to uncertainty

It’s estimated that around 3.8 million Afghan families fled to Iran after the Taliban reinstated themselves as the country’s de-facto government. Sadly, a ruling in March made by the Iranian Government now means many of those families are being pushed to return, many with overwhelming feelings of uncertainty and vulnerability.

A grant of £20,000 has ensured you’ve walked side-by-side with families facing unimaginable upheaval. Over 760 returnee households have received emergency cash assistance, an approach to relief that immediately empowers people to buy the things they desperately need and puts them back in control of their finances. A gift of £63 to each family may not seem like a lot, but in Afghanistan, that’s enough to help cover emergency food, rent and healthcare – and a tangible demonstration of how your giving enables trusted local partnerships to bring hope in fragile contexts.

Myanmar: earthquake relief
In the wake of the devastating earthquake in Myanmar, your giving enabled BMS to respond rapidly through the Myanmar Baptist Convention and its churches. Relief items reached 1,000 households with food (rice, oil, beans, canned fish and noodles), water filters, and hygiene kits (toothbrushes, shampoo, soap and sanitary products) distributed by local church networks.

Among the recipients of the relief distribution were Seng Mai and her family, whose photography business was destroyed when their home, containing their camera equipment and computer, was lost in the earthquake. “Now nothing can be gotten back,” describes Seng Mai. “[But] my family and I are safe by the grace of God… thank you so much for visiting and helping us.”